Bottle-vending machine.



J. H. MATHEWSON. I BOTTLE VENDING MACHINE.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1908. 951,323 I Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

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wa b1 mow UNITED STATES PTENT JAMES HORTON MATHEWSON, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

BOTTLE-VENDING MACHINE.

Specification of Iietters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

Application filed November 11, 1908. Serial No.- 462,166.

chine of this character especially designed for vending beer, ginger-ale, sarsaparilla and other bottled goods.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it'. being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims. 1

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification :Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of a bottle vending machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective. view of the forward portion of the run-Way and its associated parts removed from the refrigerator, a portion of the supporting frame being broken away-to more clearly show the operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the carrier in position to deliver a bottle. Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the locking member in released position and the coin ready to be ejected from the end of the coin chute by the ejecting pin.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings. j

The bottle or vending machine forming the subject matter of the'present invention includes a supporting base 5 on which is mounted an inclined run-way 6 adapted to receive the bottles or other articles to be vended, said run-way being formed of a series of inclined passages 7 the side walls of which are reinforced and strengthened by the provision of vertical braces 8. The passages 7 consist each of a bottom wall and side walls only, the top being open.

The passages 7 of the run-way are connected by curved plates 9, which serve to guide the bottles in one passage into an adjacent passage so that the same may be successively fed to the reclprocatlng slide or carrier, indicated at 10.

The base carrying the run-way 6 is slidably mounted in an ice-chest or refrigerator 11 in order to maintain the liquid in the bottles at a uniformly cool temperature, the vertical wall 12 of the supporting base 5 constituting one wall of the refrigerator, as shown.

The carrier 10 is slidably mounted between spaced longitudinal guide strips '13 and includes a substantially rectangular frame having a pocket 14 formed therein and adapted to successively receive the bot tles from the run-way and deposit the same into the delivery chute 15.

Arranged beneath the carrier 10 is a platform 16 having an opening formed therein for the reception ofthe fixed end of the delivery chute 15, the pocket 14 being so arranged as to register with the opening 17 when a rearward movement is imparted to the handle 18.

Extending transversely across the upper portion of the carriage 10 is a plate 19 which extends beneath the discharge mouth 20 of the run-way and serves to automatically cut off the bottles in said runway when the pocket l l registers with the opening 17.

Sec ured in any suitable manner to the longltudinal guide strips 13 is a transverse bar 21, which co-acts with the adjacent 'end wall 22 of the carrier and serves to limit the longitudinal movement of said carrier, there being a spring 23 resting on the platform 16 and having one arm thereof connected with said platform and its opposite arm connected with the adjacent wall 24: of

the pocket 14: for returning the carrier to normal or extended position when the handle 18 is released.

The upper inclined passageof the runway is formed with a substantially cylindrical casing 25 in which is mounted for rotation intersecting blades 26, said caslng being provided with a reduced spout 27' arranged to enter an opening 28 formed in. the wall 12 so that the empty bottles may be passed through said openlngs and into the run-way.

' Mounted for rotation with the turnstile 26 is a ratchet wheel 29 which co-acts with a pawl 30 carried by, the casing 25 and which permits rotation of the blades 111 one direction and locks said blades against ro-r the introduction of the empty bottles withv i in the runway but are locked against movement in the opposite direction so as to prevent an unauthorized person from reaching' within the chute and surreptitiously re moving the filled bottles. v

The blades 28 not only serve to prevent fraudulent removal of the bottles from the run-way but by engagement with the interior walls of the casing serve to prevent the escape of cold air through the recess 28.

Extending from the casing 25 to a point adjacent the carrier 10 is a coin chute 31. having its intermediate portion braced by a standard 32 and its upper end projected through an opening or orifice in the wall 12 so as to permit a coin to be readily deposited therein.

Pivotally mounted at 33 on the standard 32 is a locking member 34 having one end thereof provided with an angularly disposed weighted arm 35 and its opposite end bifurcated to form spaced fingers 36 which eX- tend on opposite sides of the chute 31 at the lower end thereof and serve to receive and support a coin deposited within the same.

Depending from the 'lower end of the chute 31 is a lip 37 which bears against and retains the coin on the arm 36 until said coin is ejected by the pin 38 and deposited in the coin receptacle, indicated at 39.

The angular arm 35 of the locking memher is arranged to enter a socket formed in the upper edge of the slide or carrier 10,

' said arm being disengaged from the socket 40 by the weight of the coin on the bifurcat-ed end of the locking member, as before stated. 7

The coin receptacle 39 is movable with the carrier 10 and interposed between the trans verse walls 22 and 24 of said carrier, while the ejecting pin 38 is secured to the upper edge of the carrier frame and in position to engage and eject the coin from the bifurcated end of the locking member when a rearward movement'is imparted to said carrier.

Mounted for rotation in suitable brackets 41 extending vertically from the cut ofi plate 19 is a cylinder or roller 42 having a. ratchet wheel 43 secured to one end thereof and provided with as many ratchet teeth as there are bottles in the run-way 6.

Secured to the cut of]? plate 19 is a finger 44 adapted to engage the teeth on the ratchet wheel 43 and rotate said ratchet wheel in one direction the distance of one tooth at each rearward movement of the carrier, there being a spring pawl 45 secured to the wall 12 and adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 43 for preventing movement of the roller or cylinder in the opposite direction. I

The face of the roller 42 is printed, embossed or otherwise provided with a series senses of numerals corresponding to the number of bottles to be vended so that by glancing through the display opening 46 in the wall 12 the operator may readily determine the number of bottles sold each day.

' In order to fill the machine the supporting base Sand its associated parts are withdrawn from the refrigerator by exerting a longitudinal pull on the wall 12, andi't he run-way or chute 6 filled with bottles containing the liquid to be vended, after which said base is positioned within the refriger ator with the wall 12 formingthe front of said refrigerator, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

To operate the machine a nickle or other coin is deposited in the chute 31 and allowed to drop by gravity on to the finger 36 of the locking member thus tilting the pivoted end of said member and disengaging the angular arm from the locking notch 40.

A rearward longitudinal movement is then imparted to the carriage by manipulating the handle 18 which causes the pocket 14 to register with the mouth of the delivery chute 15 and in which position the bottle within the compartment will drop into the chute 15 and inconvenient position to be readily removed by the purchaser.

On the rearward movement of a carrier the strip 19 will extend beneath the mouth 20 of the run-way and prevent further move ment of the bottles within said run-way.

When the handle 18 is released the spring v23 will automatically return the carrier to normal position, thereby to cause the pocket 14 to again register with the discharge end 20 of the spout and thus permit another bottle to enter the pocket 14 and in position to be delivered to the chute 15 on the next rearward movement of the carriage.

By mounting the base and its associated parts within the refrigerator 12 the chute may be readily withdrawn from the refrigerator to permit refilling of the same or for the purpose of cleaning.

From the foregoing description it is thought that the construction andoperation of the device will be readily understood by those skilled in the art and further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. I11 a bottle vending machine, a bottle run way comprising inclined members having bottoms and sides and with the tops open, connections therefor at the respective ends of the inclined members, a casing at the upper end of the run way, intersecting blades mounted for rotation in said casing and arranged to form a closure for the opening to the run way, a base or support for the runway, a box or casing in which the run way is normally housed, and from which it is bodily removable and an end i a bottle run-way supported on the base and I wall carried by the base and constituting the end wall of the box or casing, said end wall ing, a delivery chute, and a carrier having being removable with the run way. v a pocket forrned therein and adapted to suc- 2. In a vending machine, the combination i cess vely regl er With the run-way and de- With an ice-box, of a supporting base di livery chute for transferring bottles from t one to the other.

posed within the ice-box and provided with In testimony that I claim the foregoing for the opening in the end wall of the casa vertically disposed end piece constituting one wall of said box, there being a bottle- :18 my own, I have hereto aflixed my signareceiving aperture formed in said end piece, ll 11116 pr s nce of tWO witnesses.

JAMES HORTON MATHEWSON.

Witnesses:

W. R. TUBMAN, Jr., WHITNER HOWARD.

provided at its upper end with a casing, 1 intersecting blades mounted for rotation in said casing and arranged to form a closure} 

